This session will focus on the new AMA guidelines regarding medical tourism and the views regarding integration of international healthcare in the domestic insurance and employer marketplace. Views of medical associations about the implications of global healthcare strategies on domestic medicine.

Current trends in implementing medical tourism. What are the insurers' concerns about implementation and what are the existing products available to insured's at this time? How is the healthcare crisis affecting the insurance industry? What are the impediments to the movement of insurance companies into the medical tourism realm?

What are the positive and negative views for employers about implementing medical tourism into their fully insured and self-funded healthcare plans? What incentives are used to encourage patients to travel overseas for care.

How to market your hospital or medical tourism business internationally, How to build a brand name for your hospital or international business, How to attract patients, insurance companies and employers to your hospital or medical tourism business, Innovative and productive marketing strategies for growing your medical tourism business, Factors in identifying target markets and learning how to reach those markets, Using the media to effectuate your marketing goals, Direct marketing to your target marketplace, How to market tourism to patients, employees and insured's.

Our 2nd annual congress is expected to have up to 2,000 attendees and over 100 exhibitors. At our last conference we had over 100 insurance companies and providers, plus over 100 of the world's largest medical tourism facilitators, who came specifically to meet, network and contract with international hospitals and clinics.   Approximately 50% of the attendees at our conference were corporate "buyers."  One corporate buyer has the potential to send thousands of patients to a hospital or clinic.   Many of the leading medical tourism hospitals and clinics have stopped marketing towards consumers, and changed to now market towards the corporate "buyers."

Those who will seek healthcare internationally will look for low cost and high quality of care based upon international standards. High level of staff qualification, certification of the hospitals and the processes as well as constant quality control will determine positive patient outcomes. What this means to in the current medical tourism marketplace. How the creation of provider networks also requires accreditation and what this means in the global marketplace.

How to determine whether an accreditation scheme is right for you. The importance of international accreditation in a global marketplace. the importance of quality standards and transparency. Maintaining high quality of care while increasing your patient flow. Accreditation as more than a marketing tool. Accreditation of accreditation systems, hospitals, clinics and more.

Reducing the Risk of Liability for International Hospitals, Legal Considerations in Structuring Medical Tourism Programs, Waivers, Disclaimers, and Indemnifications clauses and how to make them work for you, Drafting proper disclosures for medical tourism patients, Reducing risk of liability for insurance companies and employers, Creating international mediation for medical tourism medical malpractice claims, Creating international arbitrations agreement for alternative dispute resolution and caps for damages, Creating international patient alternative dispute resolution programs, Hospitality considerations in medical tourism projects, International destinations for clinical trials, Tax issues related to management, operation and development of foreign facilities by US hospitals, Practical consideration for developing cross-border hospital affiliations.

As you may know, the Medical Tourism Association's 1st annual conference, the World Medical Tourism & Global Health Congress was a tremendous success with over 850 attendees from over 45 countries and more than 53 exhibitors and sponsors!

Susie Ellis, President of Spa Finder, talks about the growth of the Spa and Health & Wellness Industry. The Spa Industry has been growing on average 20% over the last eight years and Ellis believes it can be integrated into Medical Tourism. Ellis is the Executive Director of The Global Spa and Wellness Summit, which take place in Istanbul, Turkey, and will cover topics such as Spa, Wellness, and Medical Tourism.

Steven F Cyboran, a Health Consultant with Sibson Consulting, helps clients develop solutions surrounding healthcare costs. He speaks about how Medical Tourism can sustain businesses who are struggling to operate company while maintaining healthcare expenses and what companies will benefit from it most.

Rob Passmore is the CEO of All Medical Tourism, which is the leading source of international patients, globally. Passmore sits down to speak about different motives for Medical Tourism, including financial reasons to quality of care. According to Passmore, The World Medical Tourism & Global Health Congress is one of the best ways to network and meet others in the industry.

Peter Lozier is Executive Vice President of Europ Assistance, a third party administrator, or medical facilitator. Traditionally bringing people into the USfor healthcare, Lozier talks about how Europ Assistance is turning the tables and sending Americans outside the USfor treatments, providing access to patients who need healthcare and how the industry has been growing as a whole.

Peter Hayes of Hannaford Brothers, a supermarket chain, was one of the first employers to adopt Medical Tourism due to their struggle with healthcare cost. Hannaford Brothers offers incentives such as no deductible, paid travel, and paid companion travel.

Paul Keckley is the Executive Director of DeloitteCenterfor Health Solutions, which analyzes trends that effects health systems and focuses on emerging sectors or business models that are new and different. Keckley talks about the difficulty in collecting “Outbound” Medical Tourism data.

Executive Vice President for Accreditation DNV Healthcare talks about the rapid growth in the Medical Tourism Industry and promoting high quality healthcare. DNV is a third party evaluator that accredits international hospitals.

Molefi Selfularo, the Deputy Minister of Health South Africa, speaks about the importance of Medical Tourism, especially South Africawhich has a well developed private and public health sector, as well as tourism sector.

Margret Ball, President of Health Links, speaks about the networking opportunities at the World Medical Tourism and Global Healthcare Congress as well as the need to gather together and discuss important industry issues.

President of the Turkish Health Care Tourism Board has been bringing patients to Turkeyfor the last eight years and is trying to create a Healthcare Cluster in Turkeywith the assistance of Renee-Marie Stephano and the MTA.

Juliet Skinner, the Medical Director of the Barbados Fertility Center, and IVF Unit says that they would not exists if it were not for Medical Tourism as about 85% of patients travel to them for healthcare.

Judy Lim, Public Health Group of Singapore, describes Singaporeas the “Healthcare Hub of Asia”. Lim states both international patients and doctors benefit from medical travel; doctors are continually educated while patients receive high-quality care.

Juan Carlos Arnau diversifies the tourism of Mexico City, Mexicoand sees Medical Tourism as an opportunity to do so. 22 million people live in Mexico Cityand it contains many prestigious hospitals.

Joe Ledsma is the President of St Lukes Medical Center in the Philippines, which is the leading hospital of the Philippinesand is better equipped in terms of technology and expertise than 95% of hospitals in the United States.

Brad Cook of Hospital Clinica Biblica speaks about how medical tourism is changing lives and saving lives and how the Medical Tourism Association has brought credibility and cohesiveness to the medical tourism industry.

Cynthia Carrion is the Undersecretary of the Department of Tourism of the Philippines.  She speaks of creating a “health and wellness” hub in the Philippinesand of the importance of creating positive partnerships between public and private sectors in the healthcare industry.

Daniel F. Kelley, M.D., of the BrainTumorCenterin Santa Monicaspeaks on the growth of the industry and of the cutting-edge, minimally-invasive care the center provides for brain tumor patients, coming from America, Europeand Asia.

Derek Newbold works with the Grand Bahama Port Authority, which has become a bustling commercial sector and attracts many tourists annually.  He speaks of the hope of gaining investors for a medical tourism hospital on the islandof Grand Bahama, utilizing the advantage of distance to the U.S.

Don Lloyd Williams is the CEO and President of PrincetonHealthcare.  His company provides global solutions for hospitals by providing capital and solutions for reducing costs, while expanding globally.

Dr. Glen Beneby is the Medical Advisor for the Public Hospitals Authority for the Commonweatlh of the Bahamas.  He supports the Ministry of Tourism and acts in an advisory and technical role to them.  He speaks of the interconnectedness of the medical, health and tourism industries.

Dr. Enric Mayolas is employed at Barcelona Centro Medico.  This hospital attracts many medical tourists due to its specialized doctors.

Dr. Guillermo Gonzalez Prieto from Argentinais a strategic development officer of the MTAand helps with promoting Argentinaas a medical tourist destination.

Emin Cakmak, Founder of the Turkish Healthcare Development Council, a Healthcare Cluster of Turkey, with approximately 62 members and growing.  He speaks of the disappearance of borders in healthcare among countries in the last 10 years.

Jim Krampen, of Seven Corners, specializing in international travel and expatriate medical insurance, introduces their insurance product and explains the options and benefits it provides medical tourists.